Tom Hollis: Hot tub row councillor denies bullying neighbours

Mr Hollis denies two counts of harassment without violence

A councillor accused of holding meetings in his hot tub during a Covid lockdown has told a court the claims are "ludicrous".

Thomas Hollis, deputy leader of Ashfield District Council in Nottinghamshire, denies two counts of harassment without violence.

His neighbours allege he tried to intimidate them and falsely accused them of threatening him with a knife.

Mr Hollis, 28, said he tried resolve the situation "in a civil way".

Nottingham Magistrates' Court previously heard evidence from next-door neighbour Shannon Jones-Golding, who said that in May 2020 she saw Mr Hollis meeting people in his garden in Sutton-in-Ashfield while he was in his hot tub.

She said she contacted police on 101 to see "if it was allowed".

When asked by his barrister Errol Ballentyne if this happened, Mr Hollis said: "Ludicrous, would be my response to that... it's frustrating to hear so."

'Diligent councillor'

Mr Hollis also denied he had "made up" a claim on a 999 call he was threatened with a "one-and-a-half-foot carving knife" by Mrs Jones-Golding's husband Luke Golding.

Mark Fielding, for the prosecution, said Mr Hollis was "squealing theatrically" to the 999 operator.

Mr Hollis said: "I was frightened... it was a split second... at the time I perceived it to be a knife and I didn't want to hang around to find out."

He then said it "could have been a screwdriver". The court heard police who responded to the call were satisfied there was no knife.

The hearing was also told Mr Hollis put a council-headed letter through his neighbours' door, which Mrs Golding-Jones said was used to "intimidate them".

Mr Hollis said this was not the case and that he had wanted to "resolve the situation in a civil way".

In court, council leader Jason Zadrozny said Mr Hollis was one of his most "diligent councillors".

In a character statement, David Mills from All Saints Centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield, said Mr Hollis helped save it from closure, always "acted in a professional manner" and was "a very likeable man".

The trial continues.